Opioid mortality rates vary across Georgia’s counties. In 2020, Clay county had the highest mortality rate at 0.338 per 1,000, followed by Talbot (0.320), Ware (0.307), Randolph (0.283), and Haralson (0.273) counties. However, due to population sizes and spatial relationships between counties, these values may not accurately represent the true mortality rates.
To account for variations and spatial dependencies between counties, a Conditional Autoregressive (CAR) model was applied to smooth the mortality rates. After smoothing, Haralson county now has the highest adjusted mortality rate (0.218 per 1,000), followed by Dade (0.206), Rabun (0.203), Polk (0.186), and Richmond (0.183) counties.
Higher Social Vulnerability Index scores indicate greater vulnerability and a higher need for resources and support.
Higher socioeconomic status appears to be more concentrated in the southern parts of the state, while lower status is more prevalent in many northern and central counties. This pattern may reflect differences in economic development, infrastructure, and resource distribution across the state.
Household characteristic values tend to be higher in the southern and southwestern parts of the state, whereas lower values are more concentrated in northern and central counties. This pattern may be influenced by regional differences in household composition, income levels, housing stability, and family structures.
Minority populations are predominantly concentrated in the southwestern and central parts of the state, as well as in some eastern counties. In contrast, northern and rural areas have lower minority representation. This distribution likely reflects historical settlement patterns, migration trends, and demographic shifts over time.
Higher values are primarily found in the central, southeastern, and southwestern regions, while northern and rural areas tend to have lower values. This pattern maybe linked to differences in housing density, public transportation availability, and commuting patterns accross the state.
Importance of this Dashboard
By visualizing patterns in opioid-related mortality and social
vulnerability, this dashboard offers insights into high-risk areas
shaped by social and structural determinants of health.